They gazed longingly at the lasagna and occasionally raised their heads for a pat.

Otherwise, the four dogs at the Spaghetti Warehouse in the Franklinton neighborhood were about
as unobtrusive as a German shepherd or Labrador retriever could be in a crowded restaurant.

Animals are regulars at Guide Dog/Service Dog Night Out, a monthly event organized by Chris
Cooley, 36, as a social outlet and an educational tool.

“It’s just to encourage folks with disabilities to overcome any fears that they have, come out
of their boundaries and enjoy the community,” said Cooley, a Columbus resident who teaches at
Easter Seals and is legally blind.

“And at the same time as we are socializing, we are also educating folks about our disabilities
and service dogs.”

His experience suggests that some education is in order.

Cooley sued Valero Energy after he was thrown out of a South Side gas station for taking his
service dog inside. In 2012, the two sides reached a confidential out-of-court agreement.

He has also heard cabdrivers balk at transporting his dog and encountered restaurants claiming
that allowing a service dog in the dining room violates health laws.

In fact, state health regulations that prohibit animals in businesses serving food don’t apply
to service dogs, said Garrett Guillozet, supervisor of the food-safety program for Franklin County
Public Health.

The federal Americans With Disabilities Act requires businesses serving the public to permit
service animals to accompany people in any area where the public is allowed to go.

Ray Byers, director of training for Pilot Dogs Inc. in Columbus, said his clients tell him they
run into problems more often in ethnic restaurants, where owners might not be as familiar with U.S.
laws.

Also, he said, some people with visual impairments might not seem to be blind leading others to
doubt the need for a dog.

“They still have a certain amount of sight, but they’re losing it,” Byers said. “They’re
preparing for that day.”

Cooley encountered no problems making reservations for people and dogs for the January meeting
at the Spaghetti Warehouse, 397 W. Broad St.

His social group has also been welcomed at Union Cafe in the Short North and the 14/Twenty Bar
& Grill near Grandview Heights.

“We treat everyone with the same respect who walks through the door,” said Sam Schisler, chief
marketing and promotions officer at Union Cafe. “We just want to make sure everyone’s comfortable
and their dogs have space to lie down.”

Cooley, whose service dog is a golden retriever named Conrad, always takes pet gifts for the
server as a good-will gesture.

“The waiter at the Union Cafe said, ‘I can’t believe I get a dog bowl and poop bags for a tip,’”
Cooley said. (The waiter was joking. Cooley left a cash tip, too.)

The sight of a large group of people with service dogs arriving at a restaurant also sends
another message, said Shari Veleba, information and referral specialist for the Center for
Disability Empowerment, which promotes independent living.

“It shows the business owners that people with disabilities have an economic impact on the
community,” she said.

Cooley started Guide Dog/Service Dog Night Out a year ago. The group has about 22 members.

The January meeting drew 11 people and four dogs — three of them service animals and one a young
dog in training.

Jon Collier, 36, attended with his mother; a friend; and his service dog, a German shepherd
named Leah.

Upon entering the restaurant, Leah barked a few times at the sight of another service dog, then
quieted down and wasn’t heard from again.

Collier, who is visually impaired, said the social events and Cooley’s example are bolstering
his self-assurance about going into unfamiliar places with Leah.

“I’m still learning how to get the confidence that Chris has,” he said.

Matthew Dyer, 30, said he has never been asked to leave a restaurant because of his service dog,
a Labrador retriever named Izzy.

In fact, he said, the bigger problem is keeping people from petting her — a practice discouraged
for service dogs.

“I tell them the dog’s working,” Dyer said. “But it’s hard.”

Cooley wrapped up the evening with a cake to celebrate the group’s first anniversary.

He hopes that the public events are helping to dissolve the distinctions between people with
disabilities and those without.